I’m loading the dishwasher with the dirty plates and Stefi’s wiping the table when the front door shuts downstairs.
“Hey kiddo!” Dad calls, his voice echoing up the staircase.
“Hey Dad,” I shout. “Stef’s here. We made Japchae.”
Dad appears at the top of the stairs, his clothes rumpled and his hair unkempt. His beard is getting out of control, but I remember Mom saying that Dad often grows out his beard when working on projects. His eyes are bright and smiling, which I take to be a good sign. “Wow, I haven’t had Japchae since your mother and I were together. Save me any?”
“We did, Mr. Monroe,” Stefi says easily, reaching into the fridge and grabbing a plate of food. “I’ll heat it up for you.”
“Thanks, Stefi.” Dad drops his briefcase next to the sectional and wanders into the kitchen, taking a seat at the kitchen counter. Under the bright lights, he looks more exhausted than ever. I doubt that he’s slept in his bed for three consecutive nights since we’ve been at Legacy. I’ve gone down to his office countless mornings to find him snoring away in his work chair.
Stefi places the steaming plate of food in front of Dad, and I pass him a fork, knife and spoon.
Dad inhales deeply. “Smells delicious. Did you guys look up a recipe?”
Stefi shakes her head with a smile. “This was all in Cooper’s head.”
“Really?” Dad stares at me.
I nod, feeling self-conscious. “Well, I still remember some of Mom’s favorite Korean recipes from when she taught Brody and I. They’re the only recipes I know by heart.”
“And you cook them?” Dad says slowly, like he can’t believe the words coming from his mouth.
“He’s quite the chef, actually.” Stefi laughs. “He’s been incredibly helpful. Not only with making lunch, but also with the other tasks around here.”
Dad’s eyes are so wide that I worry they might pop out of his head. Then, I see a spark of something. Almost like… recognition.
“I’m proud of you, son,” he says softly.
A warm glow heats up my body. I haven’t heard those words in a long, long time.
I shift from foot to foot, feeling slightly out-of-place under his approving stare. Instinctively, I glance at Stefi and she’s smiling, her eyes bright and honest. My anxious thoughts melt away and I simply let myself feel happy.
20
Stefi
“Toy Story!” I screech at the same time as Cooper yells, “Finding Nemo!”
I stare at the screen with bated breath, my hands clasped tightly on my lap.
The teleprompter reads the correct answer: Toy Story.
“YES!” I yell, jumping up from the couch and doing a little dance. “Got it.”
Cooper laughs from his spot on the couch, gazing at me lazily. His cheeks are tinted the slightest bit pink and his eyes are half-shut, happy. “Nice one, Stef. I should’ve known not to compete with Legacy’s resident Disney enthusiast.”
I collapse onto the sofa, tucking my legs under me. On the screen, Alex Trebek moves onto the next question.
As we always do, Cooper and I have been watching Jeopardy! since I finished work. And I’ve been finishing work earlier and earlier these days. Cooper often gives me a hand, helping me clean the kitchen or change the sheets. It’s always more fun with him anyway. Since our pillow fight last week, we’ve perfected our combat skills. Not that it’s helped Cooper — I win most of the time.
I’ve started to feel completely at home in the penthouse. When he’s here, Kade is welcoming and kind, insisting that I stay and hang out after my shifts. I sometimes think back to my first few days here, when I was so stressed and flustered. Now, hanging around the penthouse feels like the easiest thing in the world.
And, while part of me knows that I should be back at my cabin, working on my essay, it’s easy to justify this behavior. Surely, Jeopardy! counts as studying? If only college admissions test questions included Disney trivia.
“That’s right,” I say cheekily. “Now you know better than to challenge the great Stefanie Clark.”
I raise an arm, pretending to flex my bicep, and Cooper collapses into laughter, his body shaking. His hair is messy and his black t-shirt is crumpled, but his eyes are sparkling. He’s never looked so good.
It’s hard to believe that this casual, confident, easygoing guy is the same one who wears suits to business dinners, attends world premieres, and knows movie and rock stars I could only ever dream of meeting. But none of that seems to matter — being with Cooper feels natural.
As we face the screen, I’m all too aware that my knee is just inches from touching his thigh. Something electric seems to lie in the empty space. Like a magnetic pull, a deep, intangible connection tying us together.
But I wouldn’t dare move any closer to him.
All too soon, the credits roll on the end of another episode of Jeopardy! But I was hardly paying attention anyway. My mind is distracted, pinging from one place to another, my thoughts on Cooper. He’s done so much for me — inviting me to dinner at that movie executive’s ridiculous mansion, bringing me skydiving, taking me to a Robbie Cohen concert, making work fun everyday...
I want to do something fun for him too, something more. I owe him that much.
I turn to Cooper, my stomach in a knot of excitement. “When’s your dad going to be home?”
Cooper runs a hand through his hair lazily, and his bicep makes me do a double take. “He’s on set today, so he likely won’t be back until later. Why?”
“I think I have an idea.” I smile. “An idea that will take us out of the house.”
Cooper sits up on the sofa, his hands on his face in mock horror. “Stefi Clark, are you suggesting a… prison break?”
I bite my lip. “Not a ‘prison break’, per se. Just stretching the rules a little bit. We won’t leave Legacy Inn property, but we will leave the penthouse.”
Cooper smiles and my heart flips. “What do you have in mind?”
21
Stefi
I scurry through the shadows, keeping low and quiet. I look back to see Cooper directly behind me, his lips turned up in a smile. Seeing how relaxed and calm he is makes me feel calm. I doubt Kade would want him sneaking out without permission, even if he is sneaking out with me.
I hold a finger to my lips and Cooper nods wordlessly. Then, I peek around the huge wood display in the center of the penthouse elevator lobby.
Across the lobby, a bodyguard from Kade’s security team sits on a stool. He doesn’t look particularly engaged. He’s hunched over, playing on his phone. Sounds like Candy Crush.
I’m aware of Cooper, coming to a stop close behind me. I feel the pull again, strong and indescribable, but I force my mind to stay on track. How are we going to sneak past Cooper’s guard?
I hold my breath, my stomach somersaulting. I’ve never snuck in — or out — of a place before. And certainly never when guards were present. I feel like I’m in a movie. Like I’m Moana, or Merida from Brave.
“Watch this.” Cooper’s whisper is light on my cheek. I suddenly find it hard to breathe.
Now, it’s his turn to hold a finger to his lips. He smiles mischievously and disappears around the huge wood display, heading back towards the penthouse elevator. I wonder, for a moment, whether he might duck out of the garage entrance and leave me here alone. But, I remember what he’d said before we left the penthouse — his dad has an alert on his phone to tell him when the garage opens. If we try to escape that way, Kade will know immediately.
Then, I hear a noise in the lobby.
I peek back around the corner. Cooper is walking around the other side of the display, striding confidently towards the guard.
“Hey, Greg,” he says in his trademark casual tone.
“Mr. Monroe!” Greg yelps, standing straight and hurriedly dropping his phone into his pocket. “Sorry, sir, I didn’t hear you coming.”
“No worries. And please, for the thousandth time, call
me Cooper.” Cooper smiles and Greg relaxes. “Would you be able to do me a quick favor? I really need some more sparkling water, and my phone is on the fritz so I can’t call our personal concierge. Would you be able to run over to the kitchen and grab me a bottle?”
Greg frowns. “I have strict orders from your father to stand guard here. Sorry. But I can call the personal concierge for you?”
I freeze, the blood draining from my face.
My phone is in my pocket.
On loud.
If Greg calls me, Cooper and I are doomed.
“That won’t be necessary,” Cooper says quickly. “It’s just one bottle. I don’t want to bother her. Would you please do this for me?”
Greg shifts from foot to foot. I bite my lip and cross my fingers.
“All right.” Greg sighs. “I will. But I’ll be right back. And I expect you to be here when I return, understand?”
“Of course.” Cooper nods firmly, his tone so confident that even I wonder, for a moment, whether he’ll truly be coming with me. “I was actually about to go for a shower so if my bedroom door is closed when you return, that’s where I’ll be.”
I hold my breath as Greg turns and leaves the penthouse. I wait a couple of seconds before I burst from the shadows and give Cooper a high-five. Then, before I can think about it, I take his hand and lead him from the penthouse.
We run across the grounds of Legacy Inn, my heart thumping with excitement. I’ve never broken the rules before. It feels kind of nice to be trying something new.
I can only hope that Cooper will have as much fun as I’m having.
A few guests are milling around, but Cooper’s prepared — he whips a baseball hat and sunglasses out of the pockets of his shorts. We sneak through the Legacy Inn garden and up the steps of the back deck.
“Where are you taking me?” He whispers from the side of his mouth.
I smile as I open the door to the Inn. “Here.”
Cooper takes off his sunglasses and smiles wide. We’re in the games room of Legacy Inn. The room is full of pool tables, ping-pong tables, and dartboards. There’s even a mini-golf course.
And, best of all, the room is almost completely empty. It’s a beautiful July day and the majority of the Legacy guests are outside enjoying the sunshine, or taking trips around the area. In fact, there are only two people in the games room and they’re fellow summer students.
“Hey, Stefi!” Jonathan Wright calls from the pool table, where Wes — Anaya’s boyfriend — is currently lining up a shot. Jonathan does a double take when he sees the person standing next to me. “And… Cooper? Cooper Monroe?”
Wes’s head snaps up and he misses his shot. His mouth pops open.
Cooper stiffens next to me, his arms tense. I bite my lip, hoping that Jonathan and Wes don’t make a big deal out of this. I doubt that Cooper wants to be surrounded by overexcited fans on one of his first days out this summer.
Jonathan casually strides over and lifts his hand for a fist bump. “Nice to meet you, man.” His smile is genuine, cordial. “Want to shoot some pool with us?”
Cooper deflates and I relax with him.
“Absolutely.” He smiles wide, the relief clear in his voice.
“And don’t let Jonathan’s big talk intimidate you,” Wes jokes, rolling his eyes. “He hasn’t won a game yet.”
“It’s the hammock naps, I’m telling you!” Jonathan laughs. “They throw me off.”
Cooper and I get set up at the pool table while Wes racks up for a new game. Jonathan, clearly tired of losing, claims Cooper as his teammate, while I partner with Wes.
“Let’s see if your pool skills are as good as your pillow fight skills,” Cooper whispers to me, eyes twinkling.
“Guess you’ll have to wait and see,” I respond lightly.
Cooper twists his baseball cap so it’s on backwards, and looks me dead in the eye. “Game on, Clark.”
The cue ball slams into the set, and the game begins. But it’s soon clear that none of us are paying attention. Between Jonathan’s over-enthusiastic concentration, Wes’s one-liners, and Cooper’s ridiculous antics, watching the three of them play pool feels more like watching a group of stand-up comics prepare for a show. I’m doubled over laughing for most of the game.
By the end of it, Jonathan, Wes and Cooper have fallen into an easy and comfortable dynamic. They joke like old friends, chatting and riffing with each other.
In a rare moment of quiet, I hold my pool cue and smile. I’m unable to take my eyes off of Cooper’s smiling face. As Jonathan racks up for another game, Cooper glances back at me. His cheeks are pink with happiness and his eyes sparkle. His gaze meets mine and my heart, literally, skips a beat.
Then, he mouths, “thank you.”
22
Cooper
Stefi and I are in the games room for hours, shooting pool and throwing darts. We even give the mini-golf course a try. It’s the one game I consistently win at. Though I’ll admit that I might’ve let her win a couple of times. Just to see her smile.
Jonathan and Wes eventually leave for their respective shifts, and I give them fist bumps as they go. They seem like good guys. Never once did they reference the fact that my dad’s a movie star. Never once did they ask about the perks of my life in LA. And never once did they allude to all of the “help” they can give me if I’d only help them in return. It’s a far cry from the people I know back home.
We have plans to hang out again soon, maybe play more pool when they’re off their shifts. I’m genuinely happy at the thought of hanging out with them. They’re like Stefi, in a way — I never feel that I have to put on a front or act a certain way. I can be my goofy, sarcastic self.
“I’m calling it, Coop,” Stefi says, flopping dramatically over the ping-pong table. “I’m done.”
I put my hands around my mouth to imitate a loudspeaker. “It’s happening, ladies and gentlemen. Stefi Clark is admitting defeat.”
I’m met with a swift elbow to the ribs.
“I’m not admitting defeat, you weirdo.” Stefi rolls her eyes, the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile. “We’re just taking a… pause. Every top athlete needs to walk it off sometimes.”
“Well, shall we go for a walk, milady?” I smile, extending my arm towards her.
“I’d say so, kind sir.”
She takes my arm and we stride out of the games room. I forget to put on my hat and sunglasses, but it seems that I don’t need them. The gardens and grounds of Legacy Inn appear to be deserted.
To my surprise, I notice that the sun is touching the tops of the mountains in the distance. The lake is a canvas of purples, pinks and oranges, and the air is still and calm. We’re headed into the evening. I hadn’t even noticed the time passing.
“Everyone must be at dinner,” Stefi mutters quietly. Then, she looks at me and smiles. The beauty of the scenery reflects on her face. “This is one of my favorite times of day.”
Stefi and I descend the steps from the Inn and stroll through the garden. Later tonight, there’ll be a garden party. Dad would never let me attend one, but from my perch in the penthouse, they always look like fun. I wonder whether Stefi ever goes to the garden parties. Whether she dresses up and dances with other guys from the Inn.
I feel a small twinge in my gut. Something like discomfort.
I quickly shove the thought away.
We walk towards the lake with our arms still linked. The weight of her forearm is soft and warm, distracting. I find that I don’t want to let her go. But, maybe she doesn’t want to let go either.
“You, Jonathan and Wes seem to get along,” Stefi says as we set off on a gravel path bordering the lake.
I smile. “They’re pretty cool. I like them. Do you know them from school?”
“Jonathan and I have teamed up on group projects before. But, I don’t know Wes. I think he’s new to Edendale High.”
“Lucky them,” I say quietly.
“How do you mean?”<
br />
“Well…” I frown. I’m not even sure what I mean, I said the words before I could think them. “Lucky that they get to live their lives. Lucky that they get to have a regular high school experience. With good friends and fun activities.”
Stefi laughs. “I doubt that they see it that way.”
I shrug, staring out at the ever more colorful lake. “I wish I had friends like that.”
“You must have some good friends, Coop. You’re a good guy.”
Her words warm my soul and I smile at her sadly. “The majority of the people in my life would disagree with that statement.”
Stefi frowns, her eyes searching my face.
I come to a stop, her arm still linked in mine, and face the still water. I’ve never talked to anyone about this, but Stefi makes me feel comfortable. Safe. Like I can say the things that are on my mind. I take a deep breath. “I told you that I was sent here because I’m grounded. But I don’t think I ever told you what for. I’m not… as good as you think I am.”
Stefi jerks, but doesn’t pull her arm back. I can’t bear to look at her face, to know what she’s thinking. I keep my eyes riveted on the water, but loosen my grip in case she wants to pull away.
“Back home, I don’t have the best reputation. I’m a straight-C student, I’ve been caught sneaking out and breaking rules. But, I’ve seen where that can go and I’ve been trying to get myself on a better path. The thing is that, in my past, I’ve gone too far, and now my mom, my dad — everyone — is quick to believe the worst in me. Not that I blame them. I’ve acted the worst.”
Stefi is silent and unmoving, but her arm still rests in mine.
My heart races. “I was sent here because my brother, Brody, threw a party at my mom’s house. It got out of control. I should’ve done something, should’ve somehow stopped it when it got crazy, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. My mom came home to find Brody bleeding after breaking a bottle of her most expensive wine. Brody’s a straight-A student, the golden child. So naturally, she blamed me — the screw-up — for everything.”
The Complete Legacy Inn Collection: Four Sweet YA Romances Page 41